US Expects Record Number of Visitors
As the US Department of Commerce forecasts, the number of foreigners visiting the United States in 2007 will break all records. This will break the negative trend that developed after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when the number of tourists dropped sharply, primarily due to fear of terrorists and visa restrictions imposed by the US.
The number of trips to the US after September 11, 2001 decreased by 17% compared to the record figure of 2000 (51.2 million visitors, i.e., citizens of other countries who entered the US at least once). However, in 2006, the US received 51.1 million foreign guests, which is 4% more than in 2005.
Some countries have visa waiver agreements with the US, and their citizens do not need to obtain a US visa. However, the lion's share of last year's growth came from guests from countries whose citizens are still required to obtain visas to enter the US. The number of people arriving in the US from China and India increased by 18%, from Middle Eastern countries by 5%.
The publication notes that today the largest number of trips to the US from abroad comes from neighboring Canada. From 2005 to 2006, their number increased by 8%, reaching 16 million people. The second largest group of foreign visitors are those from Mexico (13.4 million in 2006, which is 6% more than in 2005).
According to the Department of Commerce forecast, the number of people coming to the US will increase by 21% over the next five years. Moreover, the share of guests from China will grow by 60%, from India and Brazil by 28%. A significant increase in the number of tourists from South Korea, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy is also expected.
The US Department of Commerce considers the services and goods purchased by foreign visitors, including expenses on food, accommodation, recreation, and souvenirs during their stay in the country, as an export item. International tourism is one of the largest categories of US exports, surpassing even exports of agricultural products and automobiles. Tourism revenues in 2006 broke all records and amounted to $107.4 billion, which is 5% more than in 2005.
Data for 2006 on the number of tourists arriving in the US from countries of the former Soviet Union are not yet available. It is only known that from Eastern European countries (here European post-Soviet states are considered) more than 419,000 people came to the US, from Asian countries (including Central Asian republics) - 5.7 million. In 2004 (the latest available statistics), more than 72,400 people came from Russia to the US, from Ukraine - 18,800, from Lithuania - 6,900, from Estonia - 5,900, from Latvia - 5,800, from Belarus - 4,700, from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan - 3,800 each, from Armenia - 3,600, from Georgia - 2,800, from Moldova - 1,600, from Azerbaijan - 1,500, from Kyrgyzstan - 600, from Turkmenistan - 300.
Europe Hostel Search Engine
For tourists looking for a hotel "at a good price" in Europe, an Internet resource Gomio.com is available. Created by the European Hostel Association, it provides the most complete information about budget hotels.
The site is suitable primarily for young people. Through the search engine, you can not only find accommodation at a low price in any European country, but also book a room. Its pages provide a detailed description of each hostel, indicate the location, as well as photos and traveler reviews. In addition, users will find information about transport, visas, documents, money, and also guidebooks.
Demand for Online Tours Growing
A recent survey of Internet users in the UK revealed that online tours are mainly booked by women. According to respondents' answers, in most cases husbands ask their wives to find and book a suitable tour online, citing busyness and reluctance to spend long hours in front of the computer, reports Independent online.
In addition, Britons believe that only women are able to optimally plan a vacation and choose a holiday destination. British women themselves say they spend at least two weeks thinking about a future trip. Men, on the other hand, prefer to buy last-minute deals that catch their eye.
Overall, the popularity of online booking is growing. And the views of both sexes on optimal vacation converge: 40% of women and 35% of men confirmed that they want to relax and unwind on a trip, rather than visit as many attractions as possible.
The Most Caring – Asian Airports
Airports Council International (an international council of airports that includes 573 corporations managing 1.643 airports in 178 countries) annually evaluates the performance of airports based on a survey of 90,000 passengers.
Survey participants evaluate the airport's transport infrastructure, availability of communication facilities, quality of service and security work, speed of passenger screening, and cost of airport services. After analyzing passengers' responses, experts at Airports Council International concluded that the status of "best airport in the world" in 2006 was deserved by Seoul's Incheon Airport. In second and third places were the international airports of Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, respectively. Asian airports have occupied the top three lines of the Airports Council International ranking for the second consecutive year. Fourth place went to Singapore's airport. The first representative from another continent in the ranking is the American airport in Dallas. In the regional breakdown, there are other leaders. Experts recognized Zurich Airport as the best terminal in Europe. The most convenient airport in Asia and the Middle East is in Abu Dhabi.
Analysts of the Airports Council International concluded that passengers traveling for different purposes evaluate airport performance differently. Managers who have to fly constantly for work value privacy. Vacationers, on the contrary, like to communicate with airport staff, appreciate courtesy and emphasized attention. Everyone without exception values airport cleanliness, as well as ease of movement between terminals and the availability of comfortable waiting lounges.